Trouble
by Anya Cavanaugh
Summary: When Trouble is in the house (Rick Castle's home, to be exact), you never know what to expect. REVIEW, FOLLOW AND FAVORITE :)
1. Trouble

**Chapter 1 – Trouble**

Rick chuckled; a low, throaty rumble that vibrated through Kate collarbones as he kissed the spot just under her ear. She shivered involuntarily.

"I'd really like to take my time exploring this luscious body. What do you say?" he growled, loosening his grip and turned her around so that she faced him. Kate carefully placed her arms around his neck. He leaned in, his gaze so full of heated passion, Kate nearly melted right then and there.

And when his lips met hers, their tongues clashing and colliding, she couldn't stop the trembling that shimmered through her body, not even if she tried. She clung tightly as he nibbled at her lower lip, barely registering his fingers at the waistband of her shorts.

Then his hand slipped inside her panties; rough fingertips circling her sensitive bud as he pushed her shorts off her hips. He dipped one long finger into her wetness, then another, catching her cry in his mouth.

One hand slid down his broad chest and the other down his shoulder. Shrugging off his jacket, Rick let her fingers map the planes of his muscles all the way to belt buckle, down his happy trail.

She unclasped them, nipping along his neckline as she reached inside. He was big, smooth, and oh-so-hard against her palm as she stroked him base to tip. She moaned as he slid his fingers in and out of her. She wrapped her legs around his waist, straddling him, and he leaned her gently against the headrest. Holding her tightly with one arm he shoved his clothing out of the way with the other, entering her in one long, smooth thrust.

Kate's head dropped back, her body thrumming with the intensity of unexpected emotion. She felt his lips on her chest, moving up her collarbone and over her neck, on the tip of her chin. She lifted her head, eyes closed as she waited to feel his mouth against hers once more.

"You're mine," Rick said in a low, carnal voice.

"I'm yours," Kate whispered and he rewarded her with a crushing kiss and began to move within her, sending spirals of pleasure rushing through her. Kate let her eyes flutter close again, giving herself over completely to the feel of his lips moving down her neck, his body locked tightly to hers. She felt whole, as some part of her she hadn't even known was missing had been restored. Moving with him, she matched his movements as she gave herself over to passion.

Her body tightened as his thrusts came faster, insistent. The tension wound stronger, exploding out from her core with a shocking intensity as she felt him come inside if her. She was floating, all of the tension draining away as she collapsed in his arms.

There was a series of thumping on the door.

"What?" Rick growled. Kate noted that it was harsher than necessary.

"There's someone at the door." It was Alexis and Rick's face instantly reddened, much to Kate's amusement. "I looked through the peephole, but I don't recognize her. And I, uh, really don't want to . . . intrude."

"Wait, how long have you been standing out there?"

"Long enough to hear . . . things happening."

Rick bit his lower lip to stop himself from cussing out loud. "Damn it, Alexis," he mumbled. Kate was no longer amused.

"Well, we'll be right outside. Please go away now," Rick said as subtly as he could manage. They waited for a few minutes to hear any sign of Alexis, but there was none. Simultaneously, they threw off the covers and scrambled frantically for their clothes.

"I told you we shouldn't have done this now," Kate hissed, pulling on her panties and dark blue jeans.

"Hey, it's not my fault Alexis came home early from the library!" Rick hissed back, then added, "Which is weird, if you ask me, because she usually stays there for hours and hours at a time."

"Well, then it's a dastardly coincidence she decided to head home so soon," Kate admonished.

"Oh, come on now, don't be such a sour puss," Rick said jovially in an attempt to lift Kate's mood. He moved toward her, only in his dress pants and his belt not properly buckled, and kissed Kate lightly on her lips. She returned it, though she was unwilling at first. "Don't tell me you didn't enjoy that while it lasted."

"Mmhmm," was all Kate could mumble in response as she felt herself arch her back against the wall, wound his arms around his neck and pressed her still bare chest to his.

"Hey, are done in there?!" came Alexis' demanding voice again.

"DAMN IT, ALEXIS!" Rick couldn't help but half-shout this time.

"Well, excuse me for keeping a visitor waiting."

"Why don't you just invite her in and offer her tea or something?"

"I don't want to. I have a bad foreboding coming from her."

"Well, that's not like her at all," Rick muttered and quickly slipped on his dress shirt. "You think this visitor's trouble?"

Kate was halfway done putting on her coral V-neck blouse, putting on her black suede heels and shook her hair, leaving them in a wild, tangly mess.

"I guess we're going to find out," she said soberly.

They exited the bedroom together.

"About time," Alexis exclaimed as she leaped from the sofa.

"Sorry for the wait," Rick said, though he didn't sound sorry at all. If anything, he was perturbed and slightly annoyed. "So, what's the fuss about this . . . mysterious guest?"

Alexis jerked a thumb towards the door. "See for yourself."

Rick walked towards the door, Kate and Alexis in tow (Alexis fiddling with the hem of her sweater anxiously and Kate folding her arms across her chest), and squinted an eye through the peephole. "There's no one there."

"What?"

"See for yourself."

Alexis and Kate took turns peeking outside. Sure enough, there was no sign of any human visitors.

"But she was just there a minute ago!" Alexis dissented. "I swear!"

"Maybe she's pulling a prank," Kate said wisely and twisted the knob. "She's probably just around the corner preparing to scare us—AAH!"

Her scream was mingled with an unfamiliar one. Kate leaped back in time, very nearly trodding Rick's bare feet, as a girl no older than Alexis by a few years fell rearwards as she had been sitting on a moth eaten luggage and leaning against the door, which explains why they couldn't spot her through the peephole.

The doozy girl with the bedraggled dark caramel locks had assembled together a set of atypical pieces of garment, consisting of a figure-hugging, bright red camisole topped with a diaphanous, white chemise, army green cargo pants, dusty purple Converse, a ridiculous amount of metallic bangles that lined each arm, an evidently ersatz ruby ring and a wide, teal headband that suspiciously resembles a cummerbund.

"Who're you?" Rick asked, more wonderstruck than cross, unlike the two women behind him.

The girl's eyes—they immediately noticed its viridescent tint—leapt to her feet and extended her arm, making her bangles jangle.

"The name's Trouble," she said with a grin and added a little curtsy to her greeting after Rick awkwardly shook her hand. "Pleased to meet you, Mr. Castle. Ms. Beckett. Alexis."

"Huh? How do you know our names?" Rick asked, astonished.

"Don't be daft. Everybody knows who you are."

"Yes, but who are you?"

"I told you, Mr. Castle," she said indignantly. "My name's Trouble. I'm your niece. Remember?"


	2. Dispute

**Chapter 2 – Dispute**

_I have a niece? _Was the very first thing that crossed Rick's mind when Trouble announced her existence—if Trouble really was her name. He highly doubted this, though.

"Now hold on just a second and let me get this straight," Kate piped up and prodded Trouble in the center of her chest. "Are you telling me—us—that _your _name is actually Trouble?"

"Yep."

"And _you're _really Rick's—'Mr. Castle's'—niece?"

"Yep."

"And if that's so, how come he doesn't remember you?"

"Of course he doesn't," Trouble said, her eyes twinkling, and turned to face Rick. "We've never met before, but I sure do know loads about him!"

Kate look displeased with her answer. Her lips pursed as if someone had force fed her lemons and was on the brink of losing her temper.

"By the way, what do you think of my outfit?" Trouble said, raising her arms to the side so they had a full view, twirl even. "Tell me what you all think. I didn't outdo it, did I?"

"It's . . ." Rick fumbled for words. "Decent." Kate shot him a look, to which he gave her a 'what-else-was-I-supposed-to-say' look, with negligible rise of his shoulders.

"Oh, good. I wasn't sure whether to wear my denim dungarees or my midnight blue, gold trimmed beach kaftan," she said with a mischievous grin.

"Why on earth would you wear a kaftan in SoHo?" Alexis blurted.

"You can never be too picky with your sense of fashion," Trouble said with a _tut-tut _and wagged her finger. "I'm in New York, after all."

"The city of fashion is Milan."

"Yeah, but New York is a close second, followed by Paris."

Alexis cringed slightly at the mention of Paris.

"So, Trouble (Rick couldn't help but roll his tongue around the roof of his mouth when he said her name) how did you find me?"

"595 Broome Street, SoHo," Trouble said knowledgably, sounding like she's rehearsed this in front of a mirror multiple times.

"I didn't ask for you to recite my address."

"I know loads about you, Mr. Castle." It was plain as day that Trouble was starting to get bored and weary. "It's been a long journey—"

"That reminds me," Rick cut her off. "Where did _you _come from?"

"One of the fifty states, that's for sure. Can I come in?"

"Absolutely not!" Kate exclaimed, her face scrunched up, vexed, and barred the doorway with her whole body. Rick and Alexis were completely taken aback by her untimely gesture.

"Okay, fine. _May I_?"

"Absolutely not!"

Trouble groaned. "What? What do you want me to do, woman? Do the hokey-pokey (and in that moment, she began to do a tap dance routine, but clearly, she didn't know how) and you turn yourself around (she turned herself around, carelessly trampled all over her untied shoelaces and fell on her rear with a thump), 'cause that's what it's all about?" She finished with a flourish hand gesture; one above her head, the other outstretched, bangles jingling like a Christmas bells, until Kate raised her hand to her face.

"Shut up or you'll wake the neighbors, _Trouble_," she said, keeping her voice even.

"It's still seven, Ms. Beckett." Trouble said matter-of-factly. "Quarter to eight, to be exact. No one sleeps this early in the City that Never Sleeps. I doubt they ever sleep at all. Do you sleep, Ms. Beckett?" Her eyes flitted over to Kate, then to Rick, then back to Kate. "Are you guys an item?"

"No!" Kate half roared at the same time Rick said, "Yes."

Trouble raised an eyebrow.

Kate heaved an exasperated sigh. "Fine, yes, but that's none of your concern."

"Right. You two married or something?"

"No!" they yelled together this time.

"Okay. Sheesh, chill. It was only a question. Nothing too personal."

"Oh, it was sure as hell personal! You ruined my night enough just by showing up out of the blue on this very doorstep!"

At that moment, Alexis decided to retreat to the sofa and reread her biochemistry textbook, which she left on the glass coffee table the previous night. In a matter of minutes, she was completely immersed.

"Why? What were you guys up to?"

Before Kate could come up with a sharp remark, Trouble ducked under her arm and pondered the living room, eyeing the sofa and the kitchen counter in particular. Alexis paid no mind. She was indifferent to Trouble's presence.

"Hey!" Kate cried.

"Well, isn't this interesting . . . and clean," Trouble remarked. "Much better than the foster home I grew up in."

"You grew up in a foster home?" Alexis asked, reading still.

"Yep." Then she caught sight of the bedroom, its door ajar, disclosing the tangled, white sheets. Trouble's eyes gleamed impishly.

"Ah, is that what you meant by 'you ruined my night', Ms. Beckett? I forgot to mention; your cleavage is a little distracting to the eyes."

Scarlet and fuming, Kate rearranged the collar of her blouse.

"So, if you grew up in a foster home," Kate seethed. "How would we know if you're telling the truth or not?"

"Extensive research."

"Extensive research doesn't always prove everything, Trouble."

"Of course, it doesn't. You're the cop, you know better."

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

"That was a compliment, Ms. Beckett." Trouble faced Rick. "So, what do you say, Mr. Castle? You gonna take me in?"

"HELL NO—" Kate screeched, but stopped herself, contemplating her words. "Excuse us." She shoved Trouble back outside and slammed the door.

And Kate was finally able to liberate her thoughts.

"Castle, this is ridiculous! Trouble—ugh, that's ridiculous on its own! Who names their child Trouble? She probably came from a family of seers, if anything. Able to foresee their child's character in the future and all that. Yes, very indigenous indeed, not to mention absolutely ludicrous! Pompous little hellion, that's what she is! Rebuff her, Rick."

"But she seems fun," Rick said absentmindedly.

"Fun?! _Fun?!_" Kate raged, clearly beside herself. "Rick, come to your senses! Trouble is the epitome of trouble! I can feel it in my bones!"

Rick chuckled. "Kate, you haven't even got to know her yet."

"I don't want to get to know her! She drives me nuts!"

"Why so indignant? The Kate I know may be obstinate and but she's never this persistent on hating someone she's never even met before! Come on, give her a chance!"

Kate sulked and didn't say anything. Chances are she's trying to come up with a caustic comment.

"I second dad," Alexis said and Kate groaned involuntarily. "So long she doesn't make too much noise when I'm studying."

"I doubt that," Kate muttered skeptically.

"Oh, I forgot to mention; I have a cello!" came a muffled voice from the other end of the door.

Alexis, at long last, looked up, a shocked expression on her face.

"What's that you say, T?" Rick said. Kate was astounded by how calm he sounded.

"I have a cello," she repeated, "but I promise I won't make too much noise. I hope."

"Tell me, Trouble," Kate said, hinting sarcasm. "How in the world did you afford a cello if you grew up in a foster home?"

"It's always been there. No one played it, so I took it with me."

"What'd I tell you?" Kate said, jerking her thumb towards the door.

"Nobody cares about it. I doubt they even know it's there," Trouble continued as though she just read Kate's mind. "It would be an insult to the string family if I just left it there to rot."

"And you sure you know how to play the cello?" Kate asked again.

"Autodidact. A pretty handy skill, if you ask me."

Alexis arched an eyebrow. Rick heeded the light amusement dancing in her eyes and the corner of her lips tugging into a smile.

"And what are we going to get out of this?" Kate pestered on.

"Not much, to be honest. Do you like pranks, Ms. Beckett?"

"I, uh, no."

"Do you even live here, Ms. Beckett?"

"No?" Kate said with a hint of apprehensiveness, for she wasn't sure where this conversation was leading.

"Then what, Ms. Beckett, gives you the right to tell Mr. Castle that I may or may not stay with him?"

Rick burst into a fit of laughter that even Kate's death glare couldn't stop. She was extremely irritated and angry and it was almost impossible for her to try to stop herself from slapping the sanity out of Trouble.

"I'm just looking out for my partner, you stupid twat!" she spat out.

"Stupid twat? I prefer smartass. Has a nice ring to it, don't you think, Ms. Beckett?"

"ENOUGH WITH ALL THE HONORIFICS! THEY'RE DRIVING ME INSANE! YOU OBNOXIOUS LITTLE—UGH! WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?!"

"I'm Mr.—"

"STOP THAT! YOU STOP THAT RIGHT NOW BEFORE I SLAP THE BITCH OUT OF YOU!"

Trouble drew in her breath sharply. "I'm _Richard Castle's _niece."

Kate didn't know which one she liked worse and tried her best no to grimace. The way Trouble said Rick's full name made her insides twist.

"And I'm sorry if I angered you. I truly am."

"Sorry?! You're sorry now?!" Kate was on the brink of spitting more less-than-civilized insults when she caught sight of Rick's deploring look.

"From whose side of the family are you from, Trouble?" she inquired as patiently as she could manage.

There was a lengthy, antsy silence between the two before Trouble eventually said, "I don't know."

Kate snorted derisively. "I thought so."

"It's a touchy subject; my family. I don't like talking about them."

"Trouble, you don't even know who they are."

"Still." Kate expected her to say more, but she didn't.

"Let her stay," Alexis said, much to Kate's horror. "I've been thinking. (_Oh, so she wasn't reading then? _Rick thought). We may not know which side of the family she comes from—hell, she might not even be related to us at all—but we could use some new company, right? She doesn't sound so bad. She's actually pretty funny."

Rick pointed at Alexis, bearing the 'exactly-my-point' expression. Kate was still unconvinced.

"Where's Martha?" she said, not bothering to hide the bitterness in her tone.

"Probably down at her school, closing up; she'll be home any minute now," Rick said. "I'm sure she'll welcome Trouble with open arms—"

Trouble laughed, taking them all by surprise.

"Welcome Trouble. Feeling punny, eh, Mr. Castle?"

Rick smiled despite Kate's dirty looks. "That was unintentional. Come in, Trouble."

"WHAT?!" Kate squawked.

The door flew open with a bang and there stood Trouble, beaming from ear-to-ear. "Seriously? You're letting me stay?" she said excitedly.

Rick nodded and Trouble let out a scream so loud, the whole of New York might not get a wink of sleep that night (if the citizens ever sleep at all).

Kate knew, in that moment, that she would kiss her lovemaking days goodbye, now that trouble is literally living under Rick's roof. She won't ever get a moment of peace.

"Don't worry, Katie," Trouble said and slung an arm roughly around her shoulder, nearly causing her to fall forward. "We'll be fast friends in no time. One of these days, you'll be pouring out your deepest, darkest secrets. I swear I'll keep my lips sealed, zipped and locked." She imitated hand gestures meaning exactly what she just told her.

"Yeah," Kate mumbled, dispirited. "Swell."


	3. Don't Tell Ms Beckett

**Chapter 3 – Don't Tell Ms. Beckett**

Rick drummed his fingers against the wheel, looking out at the New York City traffic. Trouble had her earphones plugged in, sporadically bobbing her head and mimicked air guitar gestures to the heavy, thrumming beat.

* * *

Last night was a hectic night. As soon as Rick made up his mind to let Trouble stay, Kate stomped her foot, announced that that was the last straw, and stormed out of the house. Trouble doesn't seem to care the slightest bit.

"I'll take the couch for the time being," Trouble advocated, dragging her bulky, dark green suitcase into the living room. It looked like it was going to burst. "I'm sure your daughter here wants her privacy, right, Lexie?"

Alexis looked bewildered and nodded tentatively.

"You sure, Trouble?" Rick said, wheeling around as she went back out to fetch her threadbare backpack—originally white, but is now a filthy, green grey color—and a heavy-looking cello casing. Rick couldn't help but wonder how she managed to carry all that all around New York.

"How do you manage to carry all this?" Rick inquired.

Trouble wiped her forehead with the back of her hand and slumped on the sofa; her future bed. "Believe me, it wasn't easy. Everyone stared like I grew another head out my neck. The cops were the worst; they thought I was carrying bodies! (Yeah, no joke, Alexis muttered). It was horrid! Had to sleep on numerous benches and bus stops and sneak little goodies from little shops and nibble at them discreetly, avoiding the security cameras and—Shit, I just remembered you work with cops!" Trouble slapped herself on the forehead. "Fuck! Don't arrest me! Don't arrest me!"

"Trouble, I'm a writer," Rick said patiently, but with a hint of mirth.

"Then don't tell Ms. Beckett I said anything!" Trouble blubbered.

"Kate doesn't have to know," Rick said, a smirk playing on his lips.

"Oh, thank God. Thank you . . ." Trouble said, relieved, and unzipped her backpack (with slight difficulty). As soon as she managed to do so, a flash of orange darted out of the bag and leapt onto the panty, its matted tail high in the air and its blue eyes wide with curiosity as it pawed the marble's edge.

"What the—what's that?" Alexis cried, pointing at the ginger tabby. It had a notched ear and shabby fur, as if it hadn't been bathed in weeks.

"This," Trouble introduced as she picked him up from the underbelly, "is Fracas. Fracas, meet Mr. Castle and Alexis."

Fracas; pupils narrowed in the abundant light and mewled.

"Aw, he's so adorable!" Alexis cooed and reached out to pet him. His eyelids fluttered shut and he purred loudly, contentedly. "He's so friendly!"

"Oh, you haven't seen anything yet," Trouble said; a quiet warning.

"Trouble, Fracas," Rick muttered with an amused shake of his head. "What an amazing combination. What next? Mayhem?"

"I was thinking," Trouble said, smiling. "Not sure what, though. What about a goldfish? But no, Fracas will gobble him up in two seconds flat. Which reminds me, can I use your bathroom?" She lifted Fracas. "He needs a bath."

"Uh, sure, go ahead." Rick tilted his body a little and pointed. "Down the hallway, second to the right."

"And straight on 'til morning," Trouble joked. "I'll be right back."

"I'll come with you," Alexis put forward.

As soon as their shadows disappeared round the corner, the doorbell rang and the door burst open. There stood Kate, arms akimbo.

"Rick, you were an only child," she said, her voice hard.

"I'm well aware of that, Kate."

"It's not possible for you to have a niece!"

"Yes, I know."

"Then why—"

"That's why I'm going to try to find out." He looked over his shoulder to the hallway. "She seems like an interesting character."

"Interesting will turn into regret before you know it, Richard Castle," Kate scowled, crossing her arms. "Where is she anyway?"

"Giving her cat a bath with Alexis."

Kate threw up her arms. "Oh, she has a cat, too?"

"That's the least of my worries. Fracas is friendly and adorable."

"Fracas. Oh, I see. First Trouble, now Fracas."

"My thoughts exactly. I find it quite amusing, if I do say so myself."

Kate exhaled, enervated, and looked up at Rick with troubled, brown eyes, and she stepped forward. "What are you doing?"

"I'm not sure what you mean."

"I'm sure you do," Kate countered, but when he still gave her a blank look, she sighed, "Rick, you invited a stranger into your home. You can't trust her yet; you know you can't. For all you know, she might not be who she says she is. She could be after your money, rob you of everything, after Alexis!"

Rick raised his hands. "Whoa, Kate, I think that's a tad bit too far."

"She might just be another punk; she puts on a show and you bought it. Her story's not even cogent; hell, she doesn't even have a story at all!"

"Kate, calm down" Rick said soothingly and placed both hands on her shoulder. "We'll figure her out, I promise."

The sound of the bathroom door opening and two girls giggling sent a wave of relief through Rick as he ushered Kate back out, whispering urgently that he had to go and a hasty 'see you tomorrow'.

"Who was that, dad?" Alexis said, holding a now dripping wet Fracas. They didn't dry him properly.

"Oh, just, uh . . ." Rick fumbled for the right word, but none came to mind, "no one . . . No one important." He clapped his hands together. "Now, uh, Trouble, you wanna unpack?"

"Oh, yeah!" Trouble said and rushed to unlock her massive luggage, and an assortment of clothes and garments and accessories came spilling out.

"What the hell . . ." Alexis breathed.

"None of them are mine; I stole them from the Warden and Matron and some others. I can't steal too much from one person; they're bound to notice," Trouble said with a sly smile, then her face turned grave. "Don't tell Ms. Beckett."

"Matron, warden, what's the difference?" Alexis asked as she ruffled Fracas' fur with a kitchen towel.

"Matron's the younger woman in charge of the domestic and medical stuff. Warden's the prison guard-slash-nasty old hag."

Trouble proceeded to dig around her disarrayed luggage that seemed to be crammed to the brim with elbow sleeved shirts, faded jeans shorts, the dungarees and kaftan Trouble spoke of earlier, oversized t-shirts, black yoga pants, a rose tinted tracksuit, a navy blue blazer, emerald, ruby and turquoise hoodies, army green cargos, knee length black leather boots, and what Rick suspected to be a canary yellow ball gown.

Alexis' mouth dropped open, her breathing stalled like a goldfish out of water. Her eyes ogled Trouble's belongings. "You stole _all that_?!"

"Don't tell Ms. Beckett. I just took one of everything."

"Doesn't look like it," Rick said breathlessly.

"Don't tell Ms. Beckett."

"Mother of God . . ."

Trouble shut her luggage and progressed to dumping the contents of her backpack. Two pairs of eyes darted wildly over a snow globe, peppermint mouthwash, a mangy, stuffed red panda called Dahlia, a clinking jewelry box, dog-eared Harry Potter books, a metronome, an empty water bottle, a box of smushed Hershey Kisses, an ultramarine digital camera and a pair of broken leopard patterned sunglasses.

"Aw, shit, my RayBans snapped in half!" Trouble groaned.

"For God's sake, Trouble . . ." Rick murmured. He was out of things to say. Alexis could only stand rooted to her spot, eyes bulging, nearly popping out of her sockets.

"Don't tell Ms. Beckett, a'ight? Make stuff up if she asks. Now I have to put everything back in . . ."

* * *

Trouble's sudden fit of stomping broke Rick out of his daydream, and he thought of it as a distraction. He yanked at one of her earphones, much to her displeasure, and she scowled heavily at him.

"What're you listening to?" he asked. "It's really loud; even I can hear it through the radio."

Trouble's face softened and she handed Rick the earphone. "Skillet. They're wicked awesome! Give them a shot."

Rick put on the earphone, leaning a little to right as he did so and at the same time kept his eyes on the road, and listened. Drums and violins and electric guitars clashed and he only caught the words 'WAKING UP, WAKING UP!'. It was shortly followed by a string of 'ooh's.

"What's this?" Rick queried.

"Radioactive, Imagine Dragons," Trouble answered and took the half of her earphone back. "Are we heading for the precinct?"

"We're headed straight for the crime scene. Beckett's there with the rest. They'll debrief me as soon as this dastardly traffic ceases . . ." Rick let his sentence hang in a grimace.

"Awesome!" Trouble squealed, her eyes lighting up, but darkened as quick. "I left my camera at home."

"Sucks," was all Castle could say as he knitted his brows together and took a right turn.

* * *

"Hello, Castle," Kate said coldly when they approached the alleyway. "I didn't know today was 'take-your-forgotten-niece-to-work' day."

"Kate," Rick said reprovingly. "Be nice." Then mouthed, "Please."

Kate just rolled her eyes.

"She insisted she came," Rick said. "She woke up at the crack of dawn to cook me bacon and eggs and toast and everything."

"I could do twice as good. And how does she know where your eggs and bacon are?"

Rick stared at her. "Aren't all bacons and eggs located in the fridge?"

Kate turned away, appearing to be unamused, but Rick saw that she was embarrassed by her blunder.

"So, what's the situation?" Rick said, diverting the subject.

"See for yourself," Kate said.

It was a girl, no older than sixteen, with a heart shaped face, plump red lips and aurulent ringlets; a small lock of it tied in a Prussian blue bow. Her skin was ashen, her frozen fingers clasped over the stab wound on her chest, as if someone has positioned them that way. Her silken nightgown was dyed with her blood.

A shriek escaped Trouble's throat and she stumbled backwards into the vandalized walls.

"Good lord," she gasped. "It's Dotty!"


End file.
